


Nemeses

by Anonymous



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alderaan, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Are Serious Business, Ben Swolo, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Fluff, Corgi BB-8, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Female Gaze, Never Seen Snow, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Ben Solo, POV Rey (Star Wars), Rating May Change, Winter, bridal carry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 04:50:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17196842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Trying to stuff 20 years worth of Christmas Spirit onto a single house leads to an unintentional rivalry with Rey's new neighbor, Ben Solo, who refuses to ever be outdone.Part of The Writing Den's Winter Exchange.





	Nemeses

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Twin_Kitten](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twin_Kitten/gifts).



> This fic takes place in a modern version of the city [Aldera](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Aldera). There is no Force nor has there been a galactic war, but porgs exist. You're welcome.
> 
> The title was inspired by the song of the same name by Jonathan Coulton.  
> [Click Here](https://static.gofugyourself.com/uploads/2015/12/daisy-ridley-star-wars-force-awakens-premiere-shanghai-GettyImages-502653554-600x900.jpg) for a better picture of Rey's Best Woman outfit.

 

 

When Rey pulled up to the sage green cottage style house, Finn was waiting for her outside. Before she had even put her old beater in park he’d run down the garden path and yanked open her door.

“Peanut!” he cheered, arms held wide for a hug. Laughing she stepped out into his embrace. It had been too long since she’d seen her best friend in person, five years to be exact. Finn had booked it out of Crevasse City as soon as he had aged out of the system. His impending wedding was finally enough to convince Rey to do the same. (That and sneakily getting her accepted into the University of Alderaan starting in the spring.) In just under a week he would become Mr. Dameron, and then jaunt off for a month long honeymoon somewhere warm.

Before they could completely disentangle their limbs, an orange and white ball ran into Rey’s leg.

“BB-8!” Finn’s fiance Poe shouted from the front door.

Running around their feet was the cutest corgi Rey had ever seen.

“Ooh Ocho, you’re in trouble now! Papa used your whole name!” Finn teased as he bent down to pick up the errant pooch.

Poe slid up beside them and gave Rey a hug of his own, even though they had never met in person. With a cheeky grin he apologized on Ocho’s behalf before offering to help carry in her bags. In the back seat Finn noticed the same My Little Porglets backpack she’d had since first being dropped off at the orphanage.

* * *

The heels were a mistake. Sure they made her ass look great in the sleeveless purple gown Finn had picked for her. None of the flats she’d tried had quite matched the floral appliques, either. Why didn’t she just pick black shoes?! Rey could hardly focus on the saccharine words of the ceremony as all of her attention was spent trying not to fidget or grimace. At least she didn’t miss her cue to hand off Poe’s ring. Her joy when they finally kissed was only 75% for her best friend, and that was probably being generous. Too bad they still had pictures!

Entering the reception area she made a beeline for the front of the room where she had been told her seat would be. Scattered around the dance floor were small tables for two or three people. The farther back you went the bigger the tables became, with the buffet along the back wall.

The table they assigned her was one of the two seater variety, with the other chair already occupied. Rey felt her step falter and her jaw drop slightly as she took in the beast of a man she’d be dining with. Even sitting down she could tell he was big, his black ensemble barely containing him. No one had the right to own arms like that! His hair was dark and feathery, long enough to cover his ears. The scattered moles and short van dyke beard contrasted nicely with his pale skin. He looked like he’d rather be anywhere else with those broody eyes and pouting lips.

She took her seat with a sigh. His gaze lifted and she could feel his eyes roam her form, a dazed look on his face. Laughing a bit nervously, Rey bent over to remove the cursed footwear and replace them with the ballet slippers she kept in her purse for precisely such occasions. “On a scale of ‘no one noticed’ to ‘ruined priceless wedding photos’, how obvious was my regret for wearing these shoes?”

He huffed. “I’d say around ‘I’m aware of my resting bitch face and working on it.’” A sly grin softened his deadpan delivery.

“I’ll take it,” she replied with an eye roll, before reaching a hand across the table. “I’m Rey.”

A spark of static electricity shocked them as his hand clasped hers. “The girl I’ve heard so much about. I’m Ben, Poe’s neighbor.”

_What the hell did that mean?_

He must have noticed the confused expression on her face as he quickly clarified, a smirk on his face. “Finn made sure I wouldn’t call the cops on the ‘pocketful of sunshine’ house sitting for them over Christmas.”

She rolled her eyes for the second time in as many minutes. As least he didn’t call her _a ray of sunshine_. She could go her whole life without hearing that one again.

The DJ announced the entrance of the grooms, kicking off the first dance. The buffet opened immediately after which stole all of Rey’s attention. Free food was not something she was ever willing to pass up. Finn hardly allowed her time to finish eating before pulling her up on the dance floor, her break from Best Woman duties apparently over. By the time she got back around to their table, Ben was gone.

* * *

Rey had a hangover. All she wanted was to drink some tea in a lukewarm shower with the light off before climbing back into bed. But no, she had responsibilities now. One responsibility in particular who kept letting out a high pitch whine on just the right frequency to make her ears bleed.

That’s how she came to be standing on the sidewalk eating a banana (for the potassium) in her mismatched pajamas when Ben Solo came around the side of his house. With no shirt on. All sweaty. Carrying a ladder. Did he not know it was December now? And like, cold? More pressing question: were his tits bigger than hers? Because that would not be fair. At all.

He regarded her with one raised eyebrow, breaking her out of her trance. She weakly waved the rest of her banana in the air as a greeting before hightailing it back inside. If Ocho wasn’t done doing his business well, that was just too bad.

After getting a much needed shower and putting the kettle on Rey snuck a look toward Ben’s house. It was a similar style as the Dameron’s, if smaller with only one floor instead of two. White trim complemented the red brick exterior. From the bonus room on the second floor she was almost level with his roof, the perfect vantage point to see him attaching something to the chimney. _Were those Christmas lights?_

Finn and Poe had not done any sort of decorating. That was perfectly fine with Rey! She was looking forward to actually having a house to decorate this year. Living in cramped apartments inside a dark crevasse had not given her many opportunities to get in the holiday spirit previously.

The room overlooking Ben’s roof contained their meager supply of ornamentation. Enough to not look like the neighborhood’s resident Grinch, but Rey wanted more. It was time to go shopping.


End file.
